Gerik: The recent bus crash in Gerik that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students has left the nation grieving, yet again raising pressing questions about transport safety that demand swift and decisive action.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the recent crash occurred around 1.10 am on June 9 along KM53 of the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding. A chartered bus carrying 42 UPSI students reportedly collided with a Perodua Alza before skidding off the road, hitting a barrier, and overturning. Thirteen students died at the scene while two others passed away in hospital. Thirty-three more individuals, including those in the MPV, were injured.
What makes this incident even more alarming is that it occurred barely a month after another fatal crash in Teluk Intan, involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck, which killed nine policemen and injured several others. Two deadly crashes involving large vehicles within weeks of each other do not feel like mere coincidences but rather point to a system in urgent need of overhaul.
The bus driver involved in the Gerik crash is a 39-year-old man with 18 prior traffic summonses, mostly for speeding. The bus operator reportedly sublet its permit to another party and failed to activate its GPS tracking system during the journey, highlighting serious breaches of basic safety regulations. Although the operator’s license has been revoked, these oversight failures raise serious questions about how many others might be getting away with similar violations.
A special investigation task force comprising MIROS, JPJ, and APAD has been set up to examine the causes behind the crash. However, there are concerns that this shouldn’t be another one-off investigation that fades away once the dust settles.
Several news reports citing the Global Burden of Disease 2024 Report stated that Malaysia had the second-highest road fatality rate among ASEAN nations in 2021. The country recorded 23.7 road deaths per 100,000 people, trailing Thailand and ahead of Vietnam.
In response, there are calls for stricter enforcement, vehicle maintenance, proper driver vetting, and safe road planning to be re-evaluated with urgency. Broader ideas for reform include the Tourism Ministry reclaiming oversight of tourism-related transport for more focused regulation, the establishment of a centralized verification system for public institutions, and making real-time GPS and speed monitoring mandatory for all chartered buses.
Assoc Prof Dr. Law Teik Hua from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Road Safety Research Centre suggested that with government incentives and a phased rollout plan, these safety systems could be widely adopted within a few years. He emphasized three major reforms: equipping buses with GPS and speed monitoring, streamlining permit allocation and enforcement through a digital platform, and improving driver training and protocols to manage fatigue.
Safety in public transport must become a non-negotiable priority to prevent future tragedies.